Ranger's Little Girl
by PTBvisiongrrl
Summary: PG for language right now may change later. This is a repost from rcfic... Meet Ranger's daughter, who is unhappily moving in with him for the next year while her mother is on a diplomatic mission in Iraq. What is Ranger going to do with her?
1. Default Chapter

Challenge # 65: An Argument  
Author: PTBvisiongrrl  
Title: Ranger's Little Girl  
Rating: PG-13; may change  
Spoilers/Warnings: None.

Disclaimer: I only borrow, I do not own….

This is the first part of a longer story idea that was sparked by this week's challenge. As I have hit a cement wall, inspirationally speaking, on my current story, I will probably continue this one for now, if there's some interest. Don't worry- Steph will appear shortly!

Chapter One

"She says she doesn't want to see you."

"What?" Ranger bellowed. "I'm her father!"

"Ric, calm down." His ex-wife's voice, tense and tired, made him hesitate in his parental meltdown. "She doesn't like me much right now, either. According to her, we're both members of the military-industrial complex, responsible for the present crisis situation in the world, and she wants nothing to do with us."

"How am I part of the military-industrial complex anymore?"

"Th fact that you were once Special Forces is enough for her. It doesn't matter when or why you left. And I work for the State Department- which is worse in her eyes than a soldier taking orders, because I help create the orders!"

"She's twelve years old! Who taught her how to say 'military-industrial complex,' much less explain what it means?" Ranger ran his free hand through his hair, dislodging the leather tie holding it back. It fell loose and in complete disarray as he paced- rather, stalked- across his living room. "And aside from that, I'm her damn father. Tell her that she will be on that plane next week, and that she will be staying with me. She is NOT going to that boarding school, and she is not living with your sister. Your sister probably started all this shit."

Marta cut off a retort. She and Ric may have been divorced for many years, but they usually got along well where their daughter was concerned. "Madeline is not to blame here. Ana probably heard some of this from her aunt, but she wouldn't be spouting it at us if there wasn't some other, underlying problem already bothering her. She's just displacing her anger; we need to figure out what she's really mad about."

Muttering under his breath about the good old days _before_ Ana could talk, Ranger mumbled an agreement. "But I can't figure out what she's really mad at, if she won't even talk to me."

"Let me give you my thoughts," Marta began. Ranger braced himself; Marta always started conversations she knew he wouldn't like that way. "She feels ignored. Again. She hates when I have to travel for work, even if it's only for a few days, and when is the last time you got away from work for a weekend to come see her?" Ranger could hear Marta shifting the phone, probably cradling it against her head with a shoulder while she made some noise going in to a kitchen cabinet. "I'm leaving for a whole frickin year, to the middle of a battle zone, and she's getting carted off to Trenton, where she's going to feel like she's intruding on you're life. She doesn't feel wanted."

"How can she think that I don't want her?" Ranger bellowed again.

Marta flinched. "Is this how you talk to her when I'm not around? Because this type of yelling is not conducive to persuading her to open up."

Ranger mentally calmed him self and restated, in a much lower and calmer- although no less emotional- voice, his questions. "How can she think that I don't want her?"

"Ask her." Marta. "But do it in an e-mail, That's the only way she'll talk to us warmongers these days."

"She won't speak to you?" Ranger asked incredulously. "And you let her get away with that?"

"What do you want me to do, hit her?" Marta asked, exasperation with both him and the larger situation apparent in her voice. "This has been going on for two weeks. I've tried yelling, grounding, taking away things- nothing has worked. I've even tried tears."

"This is going to get worse when she's a teenager, isn't it?" Ranger asks, a real feeling of fear forming in the pit of his stomach.

Marta chuckled. "Hell, yes. Wait until its about a boy you don't like and not just your job."

"I don't want to start thinking about that yet." Mentally he shuddered. "So how should I handle this?" Marta knew Ana much better than he did; given the nature of his work, he usually only saw Ana at holidays and for a couple weeks each summer. Not the best arrangement, but he comforted himself with the knowledge that Marta was a much better parent than he was, and that all his hard work gave his daughter a very nice life.

"E-mail her. Then let me know what she says." Marta sighed. "I've got to go. I hear my cell phone- it's my boss…"

"Okay; I'll e-mail her and call you tomorrow. And Marta- be careful while you're over there." Ranger let the phone fall into the cradle. His usual control went out the window when it came to Ana, even more so than with his Babe. Ana could just push his buttons without trying. "Why couldn't she have been a boy? Adolescent boys I understand. Girls- shit, I don't even understand women of a supposedly rational age."

Tank entered the room, a crooked grin spreading across his face at Ranger's last comment. "Talking about the Bombshell, Ranger?"

Ranger shot him a look; if Tank wasn't such an old and close friend, he might have been intimidated. If anything, Tank was only more amused. "Ana's pissed at me. She doesn't want to stay here while her mother's in Iraq."

"She can't want to go with her!"

Ranger shook his head. "No, she's pissed at Marta right now, too."

"Then where does she want to go?" Tank asked, confusion evident.

"I dunno." Ranger sighed, scrubbing his face with his hands. "It was an argument by proxy, because Ana refuses to talk to either of us right now."

Tank snorted. "I am so glad I'm only an uncle."

Ranger gave Tank an envious look, pulling out his lap top and logging on to e-mail his daughter a carefully worded, what-the-hell-is-wrong missive. It looked like the next year was going to be very long.

Ranger was not any happier after his e-mail or the next discussion with Marta. Marta's advice was to go along with the ridiculous terms Ana had given him for her appearance and stay in Trenton.

"Public school? I'm not letting her attend public school!" Ranger had raged over the phone. "And what is wrong with having a bodyguard follow her? She's in more danger here than in Miami!"

"She doesn't want to live her life based on the money you've made off of the MI complex, Ric. She wants to be like any other girl her age." Marta switched into that voice again- "If you want my thoughts, she-"

Ranger cut her off. "Tell her I'll remember her protest against my money when she's sixteen and wants a car."

"Ric!" Marta scolded sharply. "She's trying to establish an identity unique from us, and what's further from us than some peacenik? Plus, it really irks us. If we love her despite these shennanigans, we must really love her. She's looking for reassurance."

"There's a reason you're a diplomat and I'm a mercenary." Ranger sighed. "So she's testing me?"

"Us." Marta momentarily covered the mouthpiece and Ranger could hear her voice muffled, talking to someone about action reports and scenarios. "I'll just be thousands of miles and a war away. You'll be on the front lines for while."

"Before you go, help me figure out how to negotiate her into a private school?"

Marta laughed. "Of course, Ric! What you need to do…"


	2. Ranger's Little Girl 2

Author: PTBvisiongrrl  
Title: Ranger's Little Girl/Chapter Two  
Rating: PG-13; may change  
Spoilers/Warnings: None.

Disclaimer: I only borrow, I do not own….

Chapter Two

Stephanie studied Ranger's face intently. He didn't seem to be joking; there were none of his usual signs of humor. No upturned corners of his mouth, no blinding smile, no "Babe" in THAT TONE. He was patiently waiting for her reply, as calmly as if he had asked her to do a usual distraction job. "You want me to do what?" she asked, needing to hear it again before she would believe it.

Okay, Ranger actually grimaced. He must have expected this to go much easier than she was going to make it. "Will you do it, or not?"

Steph smelled fear beneath Ranger's calm exterior. "Your daughter is going to be here in Trenton for a year while your ex-wife is stationed over seas, and you don't know what to do about her and you need my help. Is that right?" Steph waited for his confirming nod.

At his affirmative motion, she reiterated and restated. "So you basically want me to be her governess?" She actually cringed at the word, the image of herself in a black Victorian dress with a flying umbrella in hand. This was beyond bizarre.

"Uh-" Ranger hesitated, picking up on her tone. "Yes?"

Steph crossed her arms and settled back onto her sofa. "You want to put me in charge of a preteen? All by myself? Do you remember who I am? How many of your cars I've demolished? Men I've injured?" She shook her head. "I got you shot! Twice!"

He grimaced again. "Yes, of course I remember all these things, Steph."

"Then why on earth would you trust me with your twelve year old daughter?" she yelped. God help her, she had never turned down a Ranger request for help before, but she was seriously considering doing so now. "FOR A WHOLE YEAR?"

"Babe," Ranger's tone sounded slightly exasperated. "Will you do it?"

She chewed her bottom lip. "I don't know anything about kids, or how to 'govern' one, or anything like that. Why ask me?" She was pleasantly surprised when Ranger actually answered her question.

"There are several reasons." Ranger had anticipated this question, and decided that honesty was the best thing in this situation, even if it meant risking emotional exposure. "There's a few reasons, Stephanie. I don't trust many people, especially when it comes to my daughter. I trust you."

She was taken aback. Ranger _trusted_ her- that implied that maybe he saw her as more than mere entertainment after all. I mean, who trusts a clown? Her heart thudded so loudly in her chest that she almost missed the rest of what he said.

"Trust is more important than experience here. It's not like she's an infant; she doesn't need constant attention. A lot of your time will still be free. Plus, while she's at school, you can still pick up skips for Vinnie if you want, but you won't have to." This part would be delicate. "Standard Rangeman pay scale, but since you're essentially working twenty-four/seven, you'll be compensated as such."

Steph's eyes turned in to silver dollars. "Holy cow!" That would make a big dent in her monthly bills, much bigger than a year of nickel and dime FTAs. But this smelled like a pity gig, at least slightly. And this job was different from distraction. Steph wasn't sure how comfortable she would be as Ranger's employee. She was comfortable with Ranger as a partner- as a boss was a different story. Her hopes for a romantic relationship might complicate this. She was going to have to think more about it.

Ranger sensed her hesitation. "Steph, I know this might make things a bit-"

"Weird?" she supplied, thinking that they already were, anyway.

Ranger nodded. Since Morelli had moved out of the picture, he had increased his 'pressure' on Steph, but she was stronger than he thought. Or not interested, but he thought that she had seemed still interested. And Ranger hadn't met a woman yet who _wasn't_ interested. Well, whatever might be between him and Steph, it would have to take second place to the situation with Ana. "Weird between us. I don't want that, and I will do my best to avoid that."

Steph nodded. "I would worry about that. You know, I never was a model employee."

Ranger smirked a little. "I figured that. Why don't you think this over, and if you are interested, we can work out the details then."

"I'd like to think it over. This is all very sudden," she stated, her stomach starting to feel a bit funny. It would be a lot of money, and she'd get to know Ranger's daughter- dear God, what if they hated each other?- AND spend a lot of time around Ranger. She was sure there was a down side somewhere, but the thought of being around Ranger that much (and what she could do with that time) blinded her to it right now. Aside from the details, she still didn't understand _why her_? She decided she needed to know that more than any details of the job right now.

Gathering her courage, she asked. "Ranger, you still didn't really tell me why you want me to do this. If trust is such a big issue, why not just have one of your men follow her around?"

His eyelids closed, taking a deep breath, Ranger sighed. "She won't let me put a bodyguard on her."

"Won't let you?" Steph squeaked.

Ranger rubbed his tired eyes with both hands. "It's a long story, but she refuses to stay here unless I make certain…concessions. One, no bodyguards. Two, she goes to public school. The list is actually quite extensive."

"There's a list?" Steph was in awe of a child who could control control-freak Ranger. Then she got internal chills- this is the child she was to be put in charge of? Bad. This could be beyond disaster.

"Let's just say, she's got a strong personality." Ranger chuckled at Steph's look of horror. "You two should be interesting together."

"So the merry men were out- what about Jeanne Ellen?" Her inferiority complex with the bad-ass bounty hunter from Ranger's past infected her tone, causing Ranger to raise an eyebrow.

"This isn't her type of job."

"And it's mine?"

Ranger moved to sit next to her and slung his arm around her shoulders like he had a hundred times before. Steph enjoyed the feel of him, waiting for his response. A momentary pause and Ranger started, then stopped, speaking. When he started again, Stephanie was in the edge of her seat- Ranger's behavior where his daughter was concerned was decidedly un-Ranger-like.

"Babe- I haven't really said this to you before, but I've tried to show you, to let you know how highly I think of you." Another significant pause before Ranger continued. "Frankly, I want my daughter to be an independent woman when she grows up, to know how to think for herself. I want her to know how to be happy, how to enjoy life." Ranger scrubbed his hand across his face, measuring his next sentence or two mentally before throwing them out there. "I want her to be a lot like you, Babe."

Stephanie was doing the mental happy dance. Ranger thought a lot of her, didn't he? She pushed aside the question that followed that thought (_So why didn't he want a relationship with her, if she was so wonderful?_) and just smiled at him. Beamed, really. "Okay."

"Okay?" Ranger made it into a question.

"Okay," Steph repeated.

"That mean you'll do it?" Ranger asked.

"Yep. When does she get here?"


	3. Ranger's Little Girl 3

Chapter Three

The last three days had been a whirlwind of activity, not all of it pleasant. The first really awkward and uncomfortable task? Dealing with her mother's reaction to the news of Stephanie's new job.

That had been a disaster. Ellen Plum equated living in Ranger's house as an employee, taking care of his daughter, as _living_ with him. And taking money for it, which made it prostitution. "Stephanie Plum! How dare you tell me that you are living with a man, taking care of his daughter, and getting PAID for it! I didn't raise you that way, and even if that Ranger was raised THAT WAY, I would expect you to act better. And think of poor Joseph! What man would marry you after this?"

Brushing aside that fact that her mother still refused to acknowledge that she and Joe were no longer, and never again would be, together, Stephanie was not able to make a convincing argument to persuade her mother. Nothing would change Ellen's mind, even her father's quiet (and unusual) intercession on her behalf. "Ellen," he had stated, "it's a job, nothing more. If it was more, she'd be the girl's step-mother. Ranger wouldn't expose his daughter to something as sordid as what you're implying, nor would your daughter involve herself in that type of thing."

Stephanie held her tongue, letting her mother consider her father's words. It was a short pause before the tirade resumed, albeit under slightly different insinuations. Tired of it and finished eating, Stephanie used the excuse that she had to meet Ranger to escape. The echoes of another of her grandma's comments about Ranger's fine package in her ears, Stephanie laid rubber to get away.

She hadn't really lied, either. She did need to meet Ranger. For the second awkward and uncomfortable task of her morning- house hunting with Ranger.

Ana refused to live at RangeMan headquarters. She demanded a nice, normal house. So Stephanie had spent some really odd mornings looking over properties with Ranger. It was odd, helping him pick a house out, never having met his daughter and having no real stake in it other than a year of her life. She had daydreamed about this before, but those daydreams usually involved a happily-ever-after that didn't require a ring and certainly didn't have any kids in the picture. They also usually involved some pretty graphic sex, so it was better not to think about them at all right now. But avoiding them, while surveying and discussing real estate with Ranger was just bizarre.

Even worse was the problem of Ranger and his security fixation. Stephanie had spent the better part of two mornings looking over perfectly lovely houses within a forty-five minute drive of the greater Trenton area, each and every one of which Ranger found unacceptable for one reason or another. By the sixth house on this third morning, Stephanie had had enough. While Ranger pulled her out to the backyard- his usual precursor to tearing the property apart- Steph settled onto an old tire swing and donned her stubborn face.

"This is it, Ranger. If you don't like this frikkin' house, I absolutely refuse to look at a single one more." She started swinging gently, studying his reaction.

"It's not secure," Ranger stated stubbornly.

"Stop being difficult." Stephanie stilled herself, turning the tire so that she could stare off into the distance at the same spot Ranger was. "The house, just like all the other houses, is nice. You can make it safer, modify some things."

For once, emotion was clearly displayed on Ranger's face. She was slightly taken aback by it, momentarily, before she reached over and tugged on his arm. "What's the face for, Batman?"

He sighed. "This isn't the way I pictured this year. Ana is being- difficult. I'm more the holidays-and-summer vacation type of father. I don't' know how to deal with this kind of irrational crap. Marta is much better at this than me. And I have no idea what Ana will like. To me, any house is just a house. Once she's gone, I have no use for it."

"Then why don't you just ask her to stay at the Batcave? Explain it to her, and maybe she'll understand. Maybe she'll negotiate on this one." Steph wasn't sure of all of Ana's conditions, but most seemed to stem from her father's job. She didn't understand what Ranger's house had to do with it all, unless it really was all gadgety like the real Batcave."

"There is no Batcave, Babe." Ranger spoke very quietly.

"What? But you told me…" Steph was momentarily stunned.

"That the Batcave is forever. If there was one, then it would be. But I've never needed a house. The way I work, an apartment to sleep in was all I ever needed."

Stephanie considered this for a few moments in silence, then asked, "So where does Ana stay when she comes to visit now?"

"My apartment. Mostly, I visit her in Miami." Ranger grasped her arm. "I don't really have a home, or the things that require a home.

"Well," Steph stated, "now you do. So you have to create a home for Ana, and start that by choosing where it will be. YOU have to do that, Ranger. I can't do it for you. I'm not sure why you even brought me along." Unless it was for moral support, Steph mentally added, not really wanting to voice that thought. Steph was discovering that sheer, panicked puzzlement, forcing the man of action to a stand still, was his usual response to his daughter. It was a peculiar reaction, in her mind. It was almost as if-

"Ranger, are you afraid of your daughter?" It was out of her mouth before she could stop it.

This startled him. "What?"

Steph chuckled. "Forget it. The big bad army man would never be afraid of a little pre-teen girl."

"Yes, I am," Ranger stated lowly. The openness told Steph that he really was.

"Well, having been one, I admit they are a scary thing." She stood and slipped her hand into his. "But you'll do fine. Step one, stop avoiding the house decision. They're all equally fine. Just pick one."

He studied her hand, rubbing his thumb lazily across the palm. It was an almost unconscious intimacy that Steph craved and dreaded, because she didn't want him to stop the contact there. "You think this one is better than the others?"

"Will you buy it so we can go to lunch if I say yes?" Steph asked.

"Maybe."

"It's got a great attic room for her, practically a suite. Big yard, a tire swing. She'll love the pool table in the basement." Steph nudged him with her shoulder. "Just do it."

Ranger sighed, the heavy sigh of late. "You'll have to live here, too. Do you like it?"

"It doesn't really matter if I like it, Ranger. It's going to be your home."

"It does matter if you like it, Babe. It will be your home for at least a year." Ranger pulled her into an embrace, his front to her back and his chin resting on her shoulder. "So?"

At least a year? Steph briefly considered the motivations behind that statement, doing another mental happy dance. "Yeah, I like it."

"Then we buy it, Babe." Ranger pulled her back toward the house and the real estate agent, who wasn't very skilled at hiding the fact that she had been watching them in the yard the entire time. "Where do you want to go for lunch?"


	4. Ranger's Little Girl 4

Chapter Four

It was winking at her, Steph swore. The light glinting off of the platinum-colored plastic was playing games with her mind. There was no way she was going to be responsible for her actions with that thing in her hand.

This was much dangerous than another gift of a Porsche.

Even Lester seemed to be questioning Ranger's judgement at the moment. "That might end up costing you more than the cars, Ranger," Lester chuckled.

Steph shot him a Burg glare, which had absolutely no effect on him. The merry men, Steph had discovered in the four days she had spent with them working on Ranger and Ana's house, were immune to her evil eye. If they weren't, each and every one would have been dead several times over during the course of 24/7 remodeling.

Tank, Bobby, Cal, Hal, even Hector had pitched in to get the house painted, presentable, and ready for Ana. Ranger had refused to hire anyone to do the work, and hauled every Rangeman employee in from the field. Trenton's criminal element didn't know what was going on, but Steph was sure that they were enjoying the time off.

With Ranger, it wasn't a question of money, but security. Hell, Ranger had blown more money on the renovations and furniture than on the house itself. There were several state-of-the-art sound systems sprinkled over the house, wired to a security system that looked like it came from NASA. Also, in an attempt to make the house more to Ana's liking, Ranger had spotted the walls with original artwork by artists that Ana had expressed an interest in during a museum visit with Ranger last year. She was amazed that Ranger could remember that kind of detail; she had trouble remembering yesterday sometimes. Plus, since Steph recognized names, that meant these pieces probably belonged in the museum. But, with her help (at his insistence- her decorating taste ran to dorm room, not millionaire), Ranger had decorated the entire house. He simply didn't want one person more than was absolutely necessary to know where he would be living or who would be living with him.

So Steph had pitched in with the rest of them, her ineptitude with power tools and paint providing a great deal of comic relief. Three days of close confinement, working with the men (even Ella had turned up at one point), had gotten Steph very comfortable around them. Comfortable enough that she slugged Lester in the arm for his comment. "You're a laugh riot, Santos."

Ranger ignored Lester, directing his words to Steph. "Buy whatever you think you or she will need, Babe."

Ignoring the possibility of what she might buy for herself, Steph huffed, "I don't even know what size she is, Ranger, how can I pick out a wardrobe for her?" Steph crossed her arms and frowned. "And I know nothing about her!"

Ranger reached around Steph to a file lying on the table behind her and handed it to Steph. "Look over her file, Babe. Everything's in there."

Making a face, Steph flipped through. "I won't even begin to tell you how wrong it is that you have a dossier on your own daughter."

Ranger actually looked confused. "What's wrong with it?"

Laughing, Steph shook her head. "Never mind." Wrong or not, the file was damn handy. Steph left for the mall, file in hand.

Shopping with someone else's money was actually a great deal of fun, Stephanie decided by the fourth trip to the car with her bags. And she had decided to limit her purchases to things that she was absolutely sure Ana would like. Odd or not, that file had been VERY helpful.

Ana's size, as well as her favorite color (purple) and other personal taste facts, had allowed Steph to shop fearlessly. She had even picked up decorating items for Ana's room on her own, without consulting Ranger- a fuzzy butterfly chair had called out to her from a store window, as had some tie-died, batik bedspreads in what passed as a head shop in suburban mall-land. A few extra bedspreads could be whipped up into matching curtains in no time. Several pairs of jeans, some blouses, and an armful of Old Navy t-shirts joined bags already tossed into the back of her new, company-provided, black (of course) SUV. The only things left to buy were personal products like shampoo and deodorant and-

Yeah, that dossier was too damn complete. It was almost creepy. Steph suddenly wondered what HER file at Rangeman looked like, then quickly pushed it out of her mind. She didn't want to know what Ranger knew about her that she wished he didn't.

One quick drugstore stop- which included a last minute detour to the make-up counter, something NOT in the file and probably Ranger wouldn't like it, but… Ana was now going to be a Jersey girl, and every Jersey girl required lip gloss. As well as matching nail polish…and just a slight blusher…


	5. Ranger's Little Girl 5

Ranger's Little Girl- Chapter Five

Placing the last hanger of clothing carefully back in the closet, Steph waited for Ranger's reaction. She had shown him every last thing she had bought for Ana as she had put it away in Ana's room. He was quite the doting father, because he didn't allow his eyes to glaze over once during the fashion display. And he (surprisingly) didn't react to the cosmetics bag Steph had tried to shove away and hide.

"I think she'll like everything, Babe." Ranger paused and scrubbed at his face with a paint-smeared hand. He looked distracted, worried,- and a little lost. Not at all like Ranger in that minute.

Steph sat down next to him on the bed and slid an arm around his waist, snuggling in. "You're really worried about Ana's staying, huh?"

He blew out a forceful sigh. "Yeah, Babe. I haven't done this full-time dad shit in a very long time, not since colic. Colic will be easy compared to dealing with a pre-teenager." His eyes twinkled a little as he looked at her from the corner of his eye. "And- this may surprise you, but I tend to be difficult to live with."

She laughed, as she was supposed to, but inside her head was a little worried. _Together_ or not, she would be living with Ranger. As much as she was on pins and needles looking forward to it- with hopes for something greater coming out of it than an amazing paycheck- she was nervous. He had already seen her at her worse, several times over. Even her bed head couldn't scare him anymore. But what would living with Ranger be like?

Worse- what would living with _her_ be like for _him_?

That thought was cut off by the realization that Ana had to be picked up from the airport in less than an hour. "Ranger! You need to shower and change to go get Ana!"

His amusement disappeared. "So do you, Babe. Got enough time?"

Putting on her stubborn face, Steph snorted. "I am not going with you to get her, Ranger."

The confusion, coupled with panic, on his face, was priceless. "What? Yes, you are, Babe. Part of the job."

"No," Steph crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "You are her father, and she has no clue who I am. You need time with her to explain and just visit, without an outsider."

"Babe!"

She shook her head. "No, I am not coming with you and don't even THINK of sending Uncle Tank or anyone else. Don't make me explain why that would be a bad idea, just do what I'm telling you to do." There was a surge of power flowing through her. "You've never been a pre-teen girl, remember? Trust me."

Ranger looked liked a fish out of water, gulping dramatically in fear until that iron will power took over again. "Got it, Babe." Resignedly, he rose and headed towards his bedroom and own bathroom. Steph watched him walk out, as did Tank, who was standing out in the hallway beyond the open door for the entire exchange.

"Damn bombshell," he whistled. "you got him whipped."

Steph corrected Tank. "No, I don't. Ana does."


	6. Chapter 6

Ranger's Little Girl- Chapter Six

Steph paced nervously in front of the living room windows, two Merry Men watching her in half-concealed amusement. Half-concealed, because each tried to muffle the smile when she caught it and shot him a glance, but mostly they were unsuccessful. "Would you two stop it?" she asked, her voice tight and clipped.

The men settled down for a minute before the smiles started again. "What?" she snapped testily.

The smiles disappeared again. "Nothing," they both stated at the same time, shifting their stares to the beer bottles in front of them.

Even an evil burg glare didn't elicit another comment. Steph continued her pacing, Ranger had been gone far longer than was necessary to simply run to the airport; a quick call confirmed that Ana's plane had landed on time. Stephanie didn't want to actually call and check his ETA; it seemed too…she didn't know what. She just didn't want to. So she had the guys check with the control room to determine Ranger and Ana's whereabouts. Tank had assured her that Ranger's vehicle, according to GPS, was fine, although it was currently stopped in a Friendly's parking lot. "Hate to break it to you, Bombshell, but he's out eating ice cream with out you."

Steph stifled a retort. Her ice cream fixation- let's face it, her sweet tooth- had grown to legendary proportions. The men were amazed with what she could eat and still look good. Then she caught herself. "Ranger eats ice dream?"

Tank chuckled. "Rarely."

She nodded, wondering. He really would do anything for his little girl. Again, she felt the beginnings of a panic attack. Why was she being put in charge of Ranger's daughter? She destroyed his men and his things, on a regular basis. She was a fuck-up of epic proportions. Slumping onto the sofa, she put her head between her legs and tried to catch her breath before she blacked out.

The sofa dipped dangerously on either side of her, the generous weight of two well built men settling down. "You are not a fuck-up," Lester stated flatly, his hand resting on the back of her head.

Tank took her hand and seconded Lester's comment, adding, "All of us recovered, eventually."

Steph turned her head and managed to shoot him a look from between her legs. "Thanks, that makes me feel so much better."

Lester helped her sit back up. "You really don't know why Ranger asked you to do this? Why he trusts you?"

Sigh. "Sort of, I guess, but not really. I mean, he told me some of it…but not very specific reasons."

Lester shook his head. "That's Ranger. I'll make it simple. We've known Ranger forever, and he's never acted with anyone like he has with you. He loves you, Steph, even if he's never said it."

Warmth washed over Steph. "You really think so?"

Tank leaned his head back and boomed with laughter. "Yeah, Bomber. He's just not so good with the words. And he trusts you. He wouldn't ask just anyone to help him with Ana."

Considering her words- and not sure how much the guys would talk about this, or how happy Ranger would be at them for this conversation- she smiled and broke out into a silly, happy face. "He really loves me?"

Lester snorted. "If you have to ask, you're not as smart as I thought you were."

"It's just that he never SAYS anything. He implies, he touches, he makes innuendoes- but he never says it." Steph frowned. "How was I supposed to know? He told me I was entertainment, for Christ's sake."

"I told you, he's not so good with the words." Tank's eyes gleamed evilly at her. "We figure he'd finally tell you now that you're living with him and helping him raise his daughter."

The implications began to sink in. "Oh my God." She couldn't breathe again, and put her head between her knees once more. She didn't have time to untangle herself before the door opened and a pair of familiar legs entered her line of sight, following by another, smaller, unfamiliar pair. The unfamiliar pair ran past her and was followed by a thud as the attached body tackled Tank.

Steph had managed to sit up right and stand, edging away from Ana's effusive greeting to her 'uncles.'

Ranger hovered at the edge, motioning Steph over. "We stopped and talked. I explained who you were and why you were here." Looking over at the current tickling fest going on, which had Ana screeching and breathless, he added "I'll introduce you in a minute."

Steph nodded. "Hope all that tickling doesn't bring up the ice cream," she muttered.

Ranger quirked an eyebrow at her, the smiled, nodding at the bag in his hand. "Brought you something back, too, Babe."

Taking the bag out of his hand, Steph went to the kitchen for a spoonful before placing the bag in the freezer. When she came back into the living room, things had settled down. Ana was perched on the edge of the sofa, comfortable leaning on Uncle Tank, who was studiously trying to avoid crushing her. Ranger immediately grabbed Steph and dragged her over to meet Ana.

"Mija, this is Stephanie." Ranger let go of Stephanie's hand and shoved his own in to his pockets. "Babe, this is Ana."

"Hi, Miss Plum," Ana mumbled, her eyes dark with an impending storm.

"Hi, Ana. It's nice to finally meet you." Stephanie crossed her arms, sensing a coming explosion but not sure just how soon. She didn't know exactly how Ranger had explained her presence, but Steph had a feeling that Ana was pissed about it. "How about Stephanie? Miss Plum sounds like an old lady."

Ana mumbled suspiciously under her breath, which Stephanie ignored and made Ranger ignore as well, with a simple glare. "Okay, Stephanie."

The rest of a tense evening began. The Merry Men hung around, helping to amuse Ana on her first night. Several board games, as well as one hysterical game of Charades (Tank acting out _Will and Grace_ would forever be imprinted on Steph's mind), later, Ranger declared it _his_ bedtime, even if it wasn't Ana's. He rose from his spot next to Stephanie on the floor and helped Ana up. "Let me show you your room, Ana. If you want to stay up, there's a TV in there, as well as a DVD player and some DVDs."

Watching Stephanie carefully, Ana followed Ranger upstairs. Stephanie deliberately stayed away from the two, allowing some distance between herself and Ana until she could quiz Ranger on his exact explanation. She had a feeling that it wasn't good, and that it would take a great deal of work on her part to fix it. She decided to wait in the kitchen, eating her ice cream and hoping that Ranger would be smart enough to come down and talk to her before really going to bed.

When she heard footsteps behind her, she assumed it was Ranger and didn't turn around before speaking. "Just what did you tell Ana about me?"

Unless Ranger was suddenly a soprano, it wasn't Ranger who had entered the kitchen.

"Not enough to tell if you really are a governess, or just the woman my father is currently fucking."


	7. Ranger's Little Girl 7

Chapter Seven

Stephanie's neck prickled and she sat up straight in her chair at Ana's words. The Burg girl in her slipped out before she could control it. "Excuse me, little girl, but I don't think I heard you correctly."

"Judging from your reaction, yes, you did." Ana walked around and settled into a chair opposite Stephanie. Looking Steph right tin the eye, Ana continued. "So, which are you?"

Stephanie controlled her anger, but barely. Putting herself in Ana's place, she considered how she would react. "I didn't think your father brought many women home to meet you, Ana."

Ana chose not to answer. "So, are you Mary Poppins or not?"

""Do you see a black umbrella anywhere around here?" Steph shot back, before she could consider her words. "Any wonderful, sing along songs?"

"So, then you're fucking him-" Ana was cut off by Ranger's voice.

"Watch your mouth, or I'll wash it out with soap." Ranger came into the kitchen then, leaning against the counter and staring at Ana, who refused to meet his eyes. "You will show Stephanie the same common decency you would show anyone else."

Steph tried to catch Ranger's eye, but he was busy glaring a hole through Ana's skull. She decided to speak up, then, before this spiraled COMPLETELY out of control. "Ranger, please leave."

"Babe-" Ranger started.

"NOW." Steph enunciated with clenched teeth.

After only a few moments of tense silence, Ranger pushed off the counter and left. Ana continued to stare at Steph, who was still trying to figure out what to do other than turn her anger loose. Clearing her throat, she managed to ground out, "You are twelve. It is none of your business if I am fucking your father or not. And you will learn a more polite way to phrase that. You sound like a truck driver."

Ana physically stifled a retort, calming herself. When she had gathered herself, she stood up. "Don' ever send my father away from me again."

"Sit down."

Ana turned and headed for the door. Steph was on her in a minute, throwing Ana over her shoulder and forcing the girl to sit back down. A twelve year old doesn't weigh much, Steph reflected, amazed at her quick reaction. Ana briefly struggled, then stopped. "I told you to sit down."

"Don't you ever lay a hand on me again," Ana spat out.

"I work with your father. Do you think you're scarier than he is?" Steph laughed. "Now, let's get some things straight."

Ana crossed her arms and refused to look at Stephanie as the lecture began.

Ranger was waiting in Stephanie's room, stretched out on the bed, hands behind his head. Although his eyes were closed, he spoke as soon as the door clicked shut behind Steph. "I'm sorry for how Ana acted."

Steph blew out a sigh and settled on the bed next to Ranger, their bodies barely touching. "She's an anxious, moody, pre-teen. She's lashing out at me, because she doesn't know what to think of me. It'll pass. How do you feel about spanking?"

Ranger rolled on his side, eyes dark. "You, Babe?"

Steph blushed and swallowed. "I meant, what discipline is acceptable to use on Ana?"

The fire in his eyes died down. "Why?"

"Never mind." Steph turned so that her back was close to Ranger's front, snuggling in to him. "So, you waiting for me in my room is not going to help things with Ana."

Ranger closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against Stephanie's shoulder. "I don't know what to do with her. In the army, if she were a new recruit, I'd just beat the crap out of her until she folded or gave up. I don't' know how to do this, and I don't want you to suffer because of it."

"Isn't that why you asked me to do this? Because you don't know how?" Steph asked wryly. "Believe me, tonight was mild compared to what Ana is capable of. She's just trying to push me and see how I react."

"And push me, too, huh?" Ranger asked.

"Yeah," Steph smiled. "I think you push farther than I do."

"What?" Ranger half rose from the bed, his voice incredulous.

"Would you really wash her mouth out with soap?" Steph asked, curious. Again, the bad-ass bounty hunter Ranger she knew smashed heads with a Maglite if someone didn't listen. Steph wasn't sure about Dad Ranger.

Ranger considered. 'Probably not."

"Rule number one- don't threaten anything you're not willing to really do." Steph turned her head to look at Ranger with a small smile. "She's not an FTA; she's not afraid of you. If you threaten and don't carry through, she'll fear you even less."

"Got it." Ranger pulled her tight to him, brushing a feather light kiss against her jaw. "Thank you again," he whispered.

Then he was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

Author: PTBvisiongrrl  
Title: Ranger's Little Girl  
Rating: PG-13; may change  
Spoilers/Warnings: None.

Disclaimer: I only borrow, I do not own….

Previous chapters are available on or through the PFF CTD.

This isn't the best- I really wrote it to try and get back into the swing of it. I want to try to alternate chapters of Family Gathering with this until I finish them both. Comments on style and writing, as well as plot, are greatly appreciated!

Chapter Eight

The morning went a little better than the night before. Ranger rose at his usual time to run and was still showering and dressing when Ana stumbled her cranky way into the kitchen, for which Steph was glad. Ranger needed to worry less about how Ana treated Steph and let Steph handle it herself. Steph already had a plan for the day in place, and breakfast was just phase one.

Ana sat herself down at the table opposite Stephanie, who was reading through the day's paper, and waited expectantly.

And waited, as Stephanie deliberately made a show of turning pages to outwait the child. It took fifteen minutes before Ana broke the silence. "Are you going to make me breakfast or not?"

Stephanie continued to read n article, pausing a moment before looking up and answering. "No."

Ana's eyes hardened. "You made it clear last night that you are not-"

Stephanie's eyebrow quirked up, waiting to hear how Ana would chose to phrase it.

"Sleeping with my father."

Score one point for Plum! "Yes," Stephanie agreed in a level voice.

"That means you really just work for him. And you're job is supposed to be taking care of me." Ana shot Steph the "Are you retarded?" look and pointedly looked down at her empty placemat. "So feed me."

Rising from her seat after carefully laying the paper aside, Stephanie went to a cabinet and took out a cereal box, then went to another and retrieved a bowl, and finally a spoon from a drawer. Placing it all next to Ana, she resumed reading her paper. "Milk is in the fridge."

"I want eggs and bacon," Ana stated flatly, looking with distaste at her Fruit Loops.

"I don't cook." Stephanie held up her hand to cut off the comment she knew would be coming. "Ever. Not even if my life depended on it. If it can't be delivered, wrapped in cellophane, or gotten in a drive thru, don't expect to see it here unless you've cooked it yourself."

A few minutes of challenging silence later, Ana grumbled "Where's Ella?" as she reached for the box and bowl and poured some cereal for herself.

"This isn't RangeMan headquarters." Stephanie had to hide a small smile. "This is your home, a house away from your father's blood money business, as you requested. We will have to feed ourselves."

Sitting back down after getting the milk out, Ana was obviously trying to figure out if Stephanie was serious or not about never cooking. "Why don't you cook?"

Snorting, Tank walked into the kitchen. "The fire department asked her not to, Shortstuff." He brushed a kiss against the top of Ana's head and hugged Steph on his way to the coffee maker. "And none of us are willing to eat it, anyway."

Rolling her eyes, Steph muttered "Exagerator!" under her breath, receiving some drops of coffee flung at her from Tank's spoon just as Ranger appeared. Today, Steph noted as her breath left her, Ranger was dressed like a normal guy- no tycoon businessman or crazy mercenary here. Slightly faded jeans tight in all the right places, a dark purple button down shirt, and sneakers. No black, no kevlar, and no visible guns. She hadn't seen him look this normal since- since he was FTA.

Ana scowled at her father, still angry at him for correcting her last night. "Why aren't you all GI Joe today, Daddy?"

Ranger did not visibly wince at Ana's tone, but Steph could see the mental deflation, so she jumped in. "I asked your father to go with us to enroll you at school this morning."

Ana dug in to her cereal. "I don't want to go to school today. Can we do it tomorrow?"

Ranger fought his instinct to snap at Ana under another of Stephanie's glares. "No. I want to get you settled as quickly as possible."

Stephanie softened the blow a tiny bit. "You'll never make any friends hanging around this house all day with all these scary guys."

Ana slurped the milk out of her bowl and rose. "I'll be ready in 45 minutes."

"A half-hour," Ranger gruffly stated, garnering yet another glare from Stephanie. He wasn't sure what it was that he was doing wrong, but he also knew that Stephanie would try to explain to him later.

He just wasn't sure if he would understand the explanation.


	9. Ranger's Little Girl 9

Author: PTBvisiongrrl  
Title: Ranger's Little Girl  
Rating: PG-13; may change  
Spoilers/Warnings: None.

Disclaimer: I only borrow, I do not own….

Chapter Nine

Although Stephanie had picked out several dozen outfits to stock Ana's closet with, Ana had obviously brought her own clothes- clothes that Marta had probably not seen before. High heeled silver sandals, then legs encased in very tight, very low jeans slowly descended from the second floor, followed by a tight, low cut, midriff baring white blouse with a black bra beneath it. Long dangly earrings hung down past Ana's shoulders, and her face was painted in garish lipstick and thick eyeliner. The clothing and make-up was so inappropriate- change the jeans to a skirt and it was a distraction outfit- that Stephanie was considering sending Ana back upstairs to change when heavy footsteps sounded behind her. A purely mental "Oh, shit," and several deep breaths later, Steph found the courage to turn around and look.

Ranger's eyes had widened and his mouth was set in a thin, grim line. His arms were crossed in front of his broad chest, his legs were set in a no-nonsense, wide legged stance, and Steph could positively see the gears turning in his head- and the steam coming out of his ears. As he and Ana engaged in a stare-down, Steph mentally counted to ten, and then ten again. When the silence and the tension continued to build, Steph concentrated on Ranger, hoping his ESP was still working. DO NOT YELL, went the mental chant. The ESP must still be working on some level, because the yelling didn't start, but she felt Ranger's internal struggle against his first response. Giving the rainbow changing shades to his skin (heavy on the red and purple), Steph had a momentary fear that Ana might actually give Ranger a stroke before the end of this year.

Feeling the need to step in before the tension in the room suffocated them all, Stephanie pitched her tone neutrally and spoke. "Well, looks like we're all ready. But maybe I should have mentioned that the school you will be going to has a uniform."

Ana crossed her arms in an unconscious mirror of Ranger's stance. "I said that I wanted to go to a public school. Public schools don't wear uniforms."

"Maybe not in Miami, Ana, but here in Jersey, most schools do." Stephanie started up the stairs, brushing past Ana gently. "You will be attending Rosa Hernandez Memorial Charter High School. The uniform is hanging up in your closet."

Ana stared at Steph for a long minute before following back to her bedroom; she then stared longer at the crimson blazer, long khaki skirt, and knee socks Steph pulled from the closet, as well as the maroon and white saddle shoes Ana had not noticed before lurking in a dark corner. "You must be kidding."

Steph put a hand on her hip. "It's a hell of a lot better than the plaid jumper I had to wear to Catholic school. And it won't kill your father, like that outfit you're wearing now."

Straightening the blouse and tugging a little at the low waistband of the jeans, Ana shot a glance in the full length mirror. Then she stared again at the uniform. Stephanie saw the battle beginning and stepped in to cut it off. "No matter what public school you go to here, you will have to wear a uniform. Most are khakis like this. If you want to be able to dress like more like _that_"- she indicated the current get-up- "you will have to attend one of the more liberal private schools in the area."

Fingering the polyester blazer and holding the khaki skirt against her waist and seeing it fall at least two inches below her knee, Ana wrinkled her nose. "Did you do this on purpose, Stephanie? Pick the school with the ugliest uniform so that I might agree to a private school?"

Stephanie smiled broadly. "Sweetie, when I'm plotting against you, believe me that it won't be so obvious." She laughed. "This school situation just happens to work out well for me. But the choice is up to you. If you go for private, there's a very nice Quaker school not far, and I'm sure it would still upset you father. Quakers are pacifists."

Ana didn't reply, just continued to stare at the uniform. Steph turned to go out the door. "I'll give you fifteen minutes to decide. Public, put the uniform on. Private, change your shirt."

Walking down the hall, Steph smiled to herself.

Ranger was pacing at the bottom. "So?" he asked Stephanie as she descended the staircase.

"She doesn't like the public school uniform." Stephanie headed towards the kitchen for another cup of coffee. "REALLY doesn't like it. So I have her considering a local private school with a less strict uniform policy."

Ranger turned the corner of his mouth up in his subtle Ranger smile. "Babe. I knew you could handle her."

"Don't congratulate me yet. She's got fifteen minutes to decide." Ranger caught her arm and pulled her into a quick but tight embrace. She was lost in it, the smell of Bulgari filling her nostrils and the feel of his muscles against her working on other parts of her anatomy. Ranger broke away first, slinging his arm over her soldiers and following her into kitchen. They exchanged triumphantly silly smiles over bagels and cream cheese until Ana reappeared. The midriff was replaced with a less outrageous pull-over shirt in a dark purple.

Steph grabbed her keys and purse. "Private it is," she stated before the Manosos followed her out the door.

Charter schools are essentially licensed by the state and local school districts pay the charter school what the public school would have spent to educate each child enrolled (minus a small administrative cost.) However, the charter is completely separate from the school district, being run by private entities- setting up their own uniforms/rules, curriculum, discipline policies. Charter schools tend to be much stricter and it is easier to expel a child from a charter than from a public school.


	10. Chapter 10

Author: PTBvisiongrrl  
Title: Ranger's Little Girl  
Rating: PG-13; may change  
Spoilers/Warnings: None.

Disclaimer: I only borrow, I do not own….

Chapter Ten

By eleven o'clock, the giddy feeling of this morning's victory was quickly fading. A fifteen minute wait on the headmaster's wooden bench, the result of a phone call less than an hour after Ana's admittance, was bringing back some bad memories of Steph's younger years. There was no yelling coming from the office- yet. In Steph's experience, it wouldn't be long now. She was inwardly cringing when the half-frosted glass door swung open to expose a sullen and silent Ana. "Come in, Ms. Plum," the middle aged administrator sighed.

Steph straightened her jacket as she rose, faintly uneasy. "Yes, Mr. Lamb?"

Lamb sighed again. "Ana, please wait on the bench while I speak to your-"

"Governess-" Ana interjected, arms still tightly crossed and a sour look on her face as she walked past Stephanie without a glance or even a turn in her direction.

"Governess." Mr. Lamb agreed, shutting the door behind Stephanie and making his way over to a large, comfortable looking chair behind a massive, dark wood desk. After a moment, he steepled his hands in front of his pursed lips, obviously searching for a way to start.:

Stephanie took pity on him. "What did she do?"

"Ms. Plum, we are a very open-minded school. Although our mission is a religious one, we also acknowledge that many of our students come from different backgrounds. Unlike other schools, we support differences of opinion and meaningful dialogue." He paused, obviously searching for more to say.

This was not how Stephanie expected Lamb to start. She assumed Ana had tried to skip out, or smoked in the bathroom. These were things she herself had done in high school, and could understand. Whatever Ana had done, it was not that simple. Who had Ana called an idiot- or worse, given her truck-driver mouth? "I understand that. It's one of the reasons that Mr. Manoso and I felt that this would be a good place for Ana."

Lamb shifted at the mention of Ranger. During this morning's meeting, Lamb had definitely been wary around Ranger, but as Steph had handled the application process and all the other paperwork, she had done most of the talking this morning as well. "I need to know a little more about Ana's background, Ms. Plum."

_Danger, Will Robinson!_ Stephanie's stomach actually cramped up, knowing that Ranger didn't want personal information about Ana or himself spread around. How much did the school really need to know? She knew that Lamb didn't seem the type to accept a bullshit story, but she was still tempted to try one.

"What do her parents really do?" Lamb leaned back in his chair. "The application states "Businessman" for Mr. Manoso and "Government Worker" for her mother- Mrs. Manoso?"

Steph bit her lip and did not reply, so Lamb continued. "Ana's first class was a social studies class, and they were discussing current events- namely the war in Iraq- and she got quite…adamant…about her opinions. Unhealthily so, the teacher felt, so she sent Ana to come see me."

"Unhealthily?" Steph tried to read through the niceties.

"She hit a fellow class mate." Lamb pursed his lips. "Fighting is most definitely against our school rules. As this is her first day, and she may not know much about Friends' beliefs, I will give her another chance- provided I can get some more information from you."

"She was fighting?" Steph's voice leapt up an octave. "How is the other student?"

"He is fine, just a little bloody."

"He?" Steph squeaked.

"Yes, it was a male student." Lamb shifted again in his seat. "And he didn't take well to being hit. That's one reason that Ana was not immediately expelled."

"Oh?" Steph asked, intently interested now.

"He hit back. And then Ana-" Lamb spread his hands wide. "She hit back better."

It was difficult to hide her smile. Trust Ranger's daughter to drop a guy. "So what exactly happened?" Steph sat back and crossed her legs in a lady-like way.

"From what the teacher has told me, the male student made a comment about the mental state of men who choose to go into the military, especially special forces. And then he said that the people who were actually responsible for the murder of thousands of US soldiers and Iraqi civilians were the idiot politician and beaurocrats giving the soldiers orders." Lamb focused on Stephanie's uncontrollable wince. "I take it this hits home for Ana in a personal way?"

Nodding, Steph explained. "Mr. Manoso runs a security company and is ex-special forces. His ex-wife, Ana's mother Marta, works for the State Department and recently left on a yearlong diplomatic mission to Iraq. It's why Ana is now living with her father in Trenton." Steph left out that Ana had, until about an hour ago, agreed completely with that the boy had stated. What had triggered this one hundred eighty-degree reaction?

"Well, yes, that would explain some of Ana's reaction." Lamb wrote a note on the file open in front of him. "And you are listed as guardian on the papers, but no relationship is indicated. You are-"

"I really am her governess," Steph wrinkled her nose, "for want of a better word. Her father is very busy with his business, and not very good with teenage girls. With her mother so far away, Mr. Manoso felt that Ana needed someone female around to talk to and be sure that she is taken care of. I worked for the security company, so I could also double as a body guard."

"I think that she has shown that she can take good care of herself." Lamb stated dryly. "Knowing all this now, though, I'd like to suspend Ana for a day or two, and have her start seeing our school therapist twice a week as part of her conditions to return. Would that be acceptable to you?"

"Oh, yes, whatever you think is reasonable." Steph was just happy that Ana wasn't kicked out. Then, a thought occurred to her. "Do you want to tell her, or should I?"

Lamb gave Steph a pitying look. "I'll leave that up to you."

Steph readied her best glare to direct at Ana as she exited the headmaster's office, but it was unnecessary. Ana was sitting pensively, staring at her shoes. The attitude, normally brimming over, had faded- not completely gone, but definitely in the background. Steph decided that here would not be the best place to engage Ana in a discussion about her behavior. "Let's go," she said softly, noting the beginnings of a bruise on Ana's cheek.

Ana got up without a word and followed Steph out of the school and into a black Rangeman vehicle. Once seated and seat-belted in, Steph spoke as they pulled out into traffic. "So what's you're version?"

Ana crossed her arms and looked out the window. "Whatever Mr. Lamb told you is the truth. Why do you need my version?"

"All he told me was that you hit another student for some comments he made, the student hit you in return, and then you hit him back, ending the argument." Steph cut Ana a look out of the corner of her eye, catching the ghost of a smile flit over Ana's features. "So how big was he?"

Ana actually smiled. "Bigger than me."

Steph snorted. "So why did you hit him?"

Ana's smile vanished. "I don't want to talk about it."

"That answer only works for now. Your father isn't going to settle for it." Steph observed Ana's look of panic.

"Do we have to tell him?" Ana asked, her voice tiny.

"First of all, I am not your friend or your patsy. Your father will be told anything I know," Steph added, "within reason. I will not keep information from him. So you better figure out the story that you are telling both of us." Steph smirked. "And he will wonder why you aren't allowed in school for two days."

The fact that Ana had defended her father (and mother, she added to be fair) gave Steph hope that somehow, before this year was up, Ana and Ranger could learn to be civil to one another. That Ana didn't want Ranger to know why the fight happened dampened the hope slightly. But it was progress.


	11. Chapter 11

Author: PTBvisiongrrl  
Title: Ranger's Little Girl  
Rating: PG-13; may change  
Spoilers/Warnings: None.

Disclaimer: I only borrow, I do not own….

Chapter Eleven

It took Ranger exactly twenty-two minutes to find out that Ana had been suspended. Steph didn't want to know how exactly- she was amazed that he worked faster than the Burg grapevine- but there was no doubt he knew, given his tone when she answered her cell. "Well?"

"Can we discuss this when you get home?" Steph didn't want to be the one to explain it to Ranger first. Ana needed to do it, so that Steph stayed out of the middle.

"No," Ranger growled.

"Yes, we should." Steph caught Ana's stony face out of the corner of her eye.

Ranger let out an explosive breath. "Fine. I'll be there in ten minutes." Then the phone clicked.

Ana bit her lip as Steph snapped her phone shut, slinking down in her seat a bit more than she already had been. "He go all quiet and threatening, or start cursing in Spanish at the top of his lungs?"

Steph chuckled. "I've never actually seen him have to yell."

"Yelling's easier." Ana turned away, but the tone of her voice told Steph that she wanted to say something, but couldn't quite bring herself to do so. Steph tried to decipher what it might be, and then opted for simply asking. Ana might shut down- Steph actually expected her to- but it couldn't hurt.

"What is it that you want to say?" Steph pulled into the driveway and turned the car off. "I'll give you a get out of jail free card right now. You can say anything you want, and I won't punish you or hold it against you or tell your father."

Ana considered the offer, then her words. "I love my father, but I don't like him. I don't really know him. He scares me, sometimes. I mean, I usually know how far I can push him before I would really get into trouble. But I've never pushed him this far before." Ana looked directly into Steph's eyes. "What do you think he's going to do?"

It was difficult for Steph to hold in her laughter. Ana's words sounded very similar to her own feelings towards Ranger. "I'm pretty sure that he won't beat you, or send you to a third world country." Ana let out the breath she had been holding, waiting for Steph's answer. "But you may wish he had before he's done with you."

Ana nodded. "That's what I thought." She opened her door and headed resolutely towards the house.

It was obvious when Ranger got home. The front door opened, then closed, with force. Keys hit the foyer table with a louder than necessary thud, and there was a long pause before Ranger's shadow crossed the threshold to the kitchen, where Steph and Ana were sitting.

His face, when he appeared, was grim and set. He chose to stand leaning against the counter rather than joining them at the table. "What did she do?"

Steph subtly shook her head, looking towards Ana and nodding. Ranger rolled his eyes- a modified, scary guy version of the Burg roll- and redirected his question. "What did you do?"

Ana paled. "I started a fight."

"What did she say for you to take a swing at her?" Ranger looked dangerous. A fight over some silly girly, catty comment? He thought his daughter was above that, but obviously…

"I, uh, hit a guy."

Ranger seemed taken aback. "A guy?"

A slightly pissed off look crossed Ana's face. "Yeah. He was obnoxious. I hit him, he hit back, and I hit him again."

Pushing off the counter, Ranger cupped Ana's face and pulled her into the light. "He bruised you."

"I busted his nose." Ana met her father's eyes defiantly.

"How did he piss you off?" Ranger was obviously a little proud of his daughter and trying to hide it.

"He just did." Ana folded her arms across her chest in stubborn mode.

"That's not a good enough answer." Ranger mirrored her pose, leaning against the counter again. "If he said or did something- inappropriate- that response might be more acceptable to me than to the school."

Ana didn't answer, just looked at a spot over Ranger's shoulder intently. The silence dragged on until Ranger shook his head. "Fine. You are grounded- no phone, no computer, no TV- for two weeks."

Ana's mouth dropped. "What am I supposed to do then?"

Ranger shrugged. "Stay out of trouble."

Rising quickly from the table and leaving in a flood of tears, Ana spoke loudly enough for both Ranger and Steph to hear. "This is going to be a year of hell."

Ranger closed his eyes and tapped his foot slowly as he regained his control. "So, was that what I was supposed to do, Steph? Stay calm, give her a chance to work it out, then punish her reasonably?"

"Yeah," Steph said, rising from her seat to stand next to Ranger. "That was pretty good." She quirked a corner of her mouth up into a small smile. "Why do you need me again?"

Ranger wrapped his arm around her. "To give me a chance to calm down before I start yelling, and to tell me I did okay, and to stop me when I do something wrong." After a moment, Ranger released her and started pulling food out of the fridge.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Steph asked blankly.

"We are not living on take-out for a year. I'm cooking dinner- you can watch and learn, or go find something else to do for an hour or so." He placed a frying pan on the stove and began chopping vegetable bits- Steph couldn't identify them all- to toss into the pan. "Which is it?"

"I suppose that I could try to learn to cook one meal." Steph pulled a stool over by the counter. She observed, asking questions here and there as Ranger worked. Once he seemed to get everything started, she began straightening up behind him, putting ingredients away and placing dishes into the dishwasher. He set the table and sat down to wait for her.

Steph kept catching Ranger out the corner of her eye as he was watching her. "What?" she asked a bit defensively.

"Just seeing a new side to you, Babe."

"Don't think this will happen often. You can get healthy take out, too, you know." Steph finished up the last dirty dish, then sat next to him. "She wouldn't tell you why, but I think you need to know why she fought."

Ranger tensed up. "Why?"

"The headmaster said that the class was discussing the war in Iraq, and this boy made some statements about the people running the war and the crazy special forces people fighting it," Steph grasped his hand. "She took exception, and he wouldn't take it back. It escalated from there. But I will deny that I told you, if you rat me out. It's really important that she tell you herself. She's just not ready to yet. Let her get settled more, get a little more comfortable with you. Then she'll confide in you."

"So she defended the big bad army guys, huh?" Ranger had a silly look on his face, half-pleased and half-amazed. "I'll have to tell Marta."


	12. Chapter 12

Author: PTBvisiongrrl  
Title: Ranger's Little Girl, Chapter 12 (previous chapters are available through the CTD and PG-13; may change  
Spoilers/Warnings: None.

Disclaimer: I only borrow, I do not own….

_A good friend of mine passed away this week. She was also a writer and, though single, way busier than me. She was the type of person who wanted to do and try everything, just experience the world and then write about it for the rest of us. She was far too young to leave us, and the only way I can make sense of her death is if I take her advice about how to live life. One of her pieces of advice was to keep writing, so here I am._

_I know, it's been a terribly long time, but my children/job/husband/house are not leaving a great deal of free time to write these days, and my muse keeps throwing new story ideas at me to write. Most of my recent work has been in another fandom, but I don't want to leave the Plumverse entirely. Sorry it's short, sorry it's taken so long, but here's a new chapter I hope you enjoy._

Chapter 12

Ana made good use of her two weeks of punishment. Academically, she had more than made up for her initial impression at the school. Two phone calls home and one informal parking lot meeting with a teacher confirmed that the time she was confined to her room was actually spent working and not playing. Which was good, considering her attitude toward Stephanie had not thawed any in the interim.

Stephanie took Ana to school, picked her up, asked her about her homework, and generally went about her usual bounty-hunting business. Stephanie was very careful never to be late, to show up covered in garbage (a close call last Tuesday), or bring along a skip, even Mooner.

Ana had stopped complaining about cold cereal for breakfast, but still had not lifted a hand to prepare anything for herself in the luxurious kitchen beyond popping a soda can or pouring a glass of milk. The mood had grown icier after Ana had tartly told Stephanie that her favorite jeans were in the wash and asked when would they be clean. Steph had simply shrugged, continuing to read the magazine she was reading. "Whenever you get around to doing your laundry." She had then left a laundry basket, detergent, and dryer sheets in Ana's room that afternoon. The items continued to sit there a week later.

Ranger watched this all with a mild amusement, simply happy that the barbed comments and rudeness had stopped. Ana's issues with Stephanie, however unfair, took some heat off of him. He had never been a shirker before, but he couldn't bring himself to force this situation. The one time he asked Steph how it was going, he got a sigh, a burg eye roll, and a "Just let me handle" mumbled at him. He was more than willing to oblige.

Stephanie herself decided to try the "you attract more flies with honey than vinegar" approach herself. She wasn't going to bribe the girl, per say, but offer bonding opportunities, sweetened with Ranger's credit card. One day after school, once Ana's punishment period was over, Stephanie detoured on the way home and headed towards the Quakerbridge Mall. When Ana didn't question the new route, simply raised one eyebrow, Stephanie took that as a small victory.

The second victory was the little half-smile Ana let slip when Stephanie replied to "Where are we going?" at the mall entrance with an evil glint and "Macy's. Shoe sale."

For a pre-teen, Ana had already developed fairly decent sale shopping techniques. And Steph had to admit that the girl's slight size was an advantage, allowing her to slip between older women and snatch up prime footwear unnoticed. Unfortunately, the shoes Ana was trying on would probably give Ranger a stroke. Luckily, she seemed to grow bored of teetering around on too tall heels before long, abandoned the boxes in an aisle, and decided to "help" Steph choose her purchases.

Watching Steph try on a sixth pair of four-inch black heels, this pair with ribbons that laced around the ankle and up the calf, Ana actually started a conversation. "Why are you trying on those kinds of shoes? I haven't seen you in anything but sneakers or boots the whole time I've been here."

The non-hostile tone surprised Steph at first, then the question. She really didn't need the shoes- and she hardly wore them for anything other than distractions or dinner these days. When had that happened? Shrugging, Steph replied, "They look nice. And they are on sale."

Ana shook her head slightly and a very Ranger-esque look of mild amusement pulled the corner of her mouth up, but she continued to browse the shoes, pulling some more out for Stephanie to try on. They joked about some of the more horrible styles, and the women who were trying them on. It was almost friendly, and Stephanie was caught by surprise when Joyce Bernhardt appeared behind her to ruin the mood.

"Stephanie! Imagine running into you here." Joyce's face was sour as ever, the dark pit of evil that were her eyes outlined with thick black liner and blood red, collagen enhanced lips tensed into a thin, disapproving line. "I hear you've decided to change careers, and now your-" she paused, a slow sidelong glance taking in Ana- "Manoso's paid mistress. I see your even taking care of his brat."

Ana's eyes darkened in response, and she drew up her full height, crossing her arms across her chest and angling her head to the side. Directing her best Ranger imitation, she looked Joyce up and down slowly and wrinkled her nose as if smelling a bad odor. "Whose this bitch?"


	13. Chapter 13

Author: PTBvisiongrrl  
Title: Ranger's Little Girl, Chapter 13/? (previous chapters are available through the CTD, and on/through my blog, http://ptbvisiongrrl. Rating: PG-13; may change  
Spoilers/Warnings: None.

Disclaimer: I only borrow, I do not own….

Again, I apologize for the long breaks between updates. No one is probably even reading this anymore- but I've found that writing about Ranger's rebellious daughter is a great therapy for dealing with my own preschool-going-on-teenage defiant daughter. So- this chapter is a result of a summer's worth of being stay-at-home mom. And there's a few other ideas already perculating for other chapters. Thanks if you've hung in there! As always, if you can spare a few for a comment, most appreciated!

Chapter 13

Stephanie was torn for a moment. The look on Joyce's face was priceless, and so few people ever got one up on Joyce that she had trouble taking Ana to task for her language or rudeness. The Burg girl in Steph wanted to take the victory and walk away; the mature adult role model wasn't sure how to correct her charge, but knew she had to. Regretting it mentally, she ignored Joyce's fish-on-land facial expression and wheeled on Ana.

"Ana Manoso! That is not acceptable, no matter how much of a bitch Joyce is!," she stated firmly, trying to keep the smile at calling Joyce names to her face in a completely acceptable way to herself. Another interior cringe, though, knowing that she herself has been in Ana's place more than once in her life, calling an adult on how he/she acted but discounted because of her age. A second cringe, then, when she saw the storm pass over Ana's face, preparing for a scene. Quickly refocusing Ana'a anger on Joyce and not herself, she barked, "Apologize right now, young lady!"

Ana's jaw clenched so tightly that Stephanie could see the muscles twinge- and again reflected to herself how much alike Ranger and Ana were. Ana remained silent, though, her eyes coolly meeting Stephanie with a challenge glinting in them.

Steph had been bullied by many more frightening opponents in a battle of wills before than Ana, Joyce being the least of those. For Christ's sake, a god-damned street gang had tried to rape and kill her. _I can handle a teen-age girl_, Steph mentally repeated like a mantra. Knowing that she could not lose this on, Steph dug in. Crossing her arms in front of her, Stephanie narrowed her eyes and prepared for battle. Times like this, she wished she had half of Ranger's presence; he seemed to have Jedi powers of persuasion. "Tell Joyce that you are sorry you called her a bitch, even if she deserved it."

"That's lying," Ana spat back, her head cocked at that arrogant teenage angle. "I don't lie."

Joyce's face went red during this exchange, and Stephanie could see Joyce building up a head of steam. Joyce was not a kid person- unless the kid was an almost-of-age male she could manipulate. Whatever was going to come out of Joyce's mouth was only going to inflame the situation, Steph was sure, and she could only deal with one crisis at a time. Correcting Ana could be done anywhere, and might best be done away from the quickly gathering crowd. A quick decision reached, Steph's stun gun was out and pressed against Joyce's arm before Joyce even noticed it. Joyce hit the ground with a loud thunk, knocking boxes of shoes in all directions and her huge gun falling out of her concealed back holster to clatter on the floor.

The gun barely stirred the crowd; the twitching and drooling brought about by volts running through Joyce's body got more. Sparing a moment to holler, "Get an ambulance! She's having a seizure!" Steph grabbed Ana's arm and pulled her toward the Macy's exit leading into the mall itself. Ana trailed reluctantly, her angry face somewhat displaced by a shocked expression. The stupor of surprise didn't last for long, though; the sullen pre-teen mask was back once they hit the food court and Steph let go. Not even bothering to try and break through the attitude, Steph headed directly for the coffee place and ordered a half-dozen Boston cremes. Not Tasty Pastry quality, but any bakery in an emergency.

Ana trailed behind Steph by a half dozen feet or so, enticed by the chocolate but not convinced yet. Sitting down at a nearby table, divvying up the donuts onto unfolded napkins, Steph motioned to the seat across from her. Deciding to treat Ana like a young adult and not a child, She struck up a conversation instead of a lecture. "Can I talk to you?" she asked Ana evenly, her voice as emotionless as she could make it.

Ana took a moment to decide, then pulled the opposite chair out and sat down heavily. It was a concession, a minor one, but a concession none-the-less. Stephanie noted it and breathed an internal sigh of relief. She didn't think Ranger would like hearing about his daughter running off or Steph having to stun-gun her to get her home. Worse yet, being personally escorted home by Trenton's finest after causing a public disturbance. "I appreciate that you stood up for me, but that wasn't right."

Ana's mask of defiance melted into disbelief. "But she disrespected you! And you didn't do anything!"

"Joyce has been my arch nemesis since kindergarten," Steph stated calmly, not bothering to hide the contempt for Joyce in her voice. "She's said far worse, and I've gotten back at her much better, than anything in that little exchange." Taking a bite and catching the dripping cream with a finger, Steph licked it off and leveled her eyes to Ana's. "And that's my battle, not yours."

The Boston Cremes lay untouched on Ana's napkin. Shifting to lean back in her seat, she raised her chin and directly met Stephanie's eyes. "I didn't get any back for you," Ana said, lapsing into ghetto, something Steph didn't know she knew. "I got my own back. She called me a brat and insulted my dad." Holding Steph's eyes a moment longer, she turned her attention back to her napkin, muttering under her breath. For once, Steph knew the mutterings weren't about her. "She's a low class puta."

Stephanie was fairly certain that was a curse- but let it pass, deciding she'd ask Lester later. "Whatever she is, she's not your concern."

"It's cause I'm a kid that I can't insult her, even though she insulted me…" Ana attempted the tried-and-true generational war tactic.

"No," Steph firmly stated through delicious cream. "It's because you're a better person than she is."

Still staring at the donuts, but at least picking one up, Ana refused to look at Stephanie. "Would my father would take that? No-"

Impatiently, Steph shoved the rest of her last donut into her mouth and talked around it. "No, but he would cut her off with a dirty look. He doesn't have to stoop to disrespect to make someone do what he wants. He just gets their cooperation- that's the kind of guy that he is."

"That's cause he's all GI Joe and everyone is afraid of him," Ana stated, shoving in her own donut.

"That's just for the really scary guys." Steph wiped her mouth carefully, trying to appear lady-like as she suddenly realized she had pounded back three days worth of calories out in the mall.

"Whatever." Ana mumbled again, but finished her donuts, anger still radiating off her. The ride to the house was a quiet and tense one, neither of the car's occupants wanting to talk. Storming into the house quietly- almost like a thunderless rain storm- Ranger spied them as they entered, standing in the doorway to the kitchen, a bowl of salad in his hand.

"No bags from the mall?" he questioned wryly.

Seeing Ana head directly for her room, Ranger knew it had been a bad afternoon. He pulled Steph down into a kitchen chair, turning the dinner he had been cooking down to simmer. Rubbing her shoulders, Ranger sighed and asked. "What did she do?"

"Nothing that bad." Steph sighed and leaned into the strength of Ranger's hands. "That feels good," she mumbled before drifting off into a comfortable silence. As minutes dragged on, her body began to respond to Ranger's ministrations. Trying to distract herself, she summarized the mall visit, including Ana's Spanish mutterings.

Ranger's expression darkened. "You need to learn some Spanish, querida."

Stephanie raised an eyebrow, waiting for a translation.

Ranger brushed a kiss against her temple and began the lesson. "Puta is…"


	14. Chapter 14

**Pen** **Name**: PTBvisiongrrl

**Story** **Title**: Ranger's Little Girl

**Summary**: ana come to live with Ranger in Trenton for a year, and she's not happy about it. Ranger hires Stephanie as her governess/body guard.

**Story** **Rating**: PG-13 (mostly just language)

**Status**: Work in Progress

**Genre**: Drama/Comedy

**Couple**: Stephanie and Ranger (eventually)

**Spoilers**: not really—AU (she's no Julie)

**Disclaimer**: I do not own these characters, but only gently use for my amusement.

Chapter Fourteen

Dinner was a somewhat tense affair. It had taken two calls upstairs and a knock on the door to get Ana's attention, and she declined to come down, stating her stomach was bothering her. Realizing that she had given the girl some serious chocolate and cream at the mall, Steph acknowledged that it might be a real complaint and not just an excuse to avoid.

Ranger didn't agree as much, very much wanting to discuss Ana's language from earlier. Steph had to pull a Burg girl stare and remind him, yet again, of why he hired her for this before he backed down. Ranger had closed his eyes, sighed, and turned back to the dinner he had waiting for them in the kitchen. Stephanie followed, sniffing appreciatively.

Ranger smiled when he noticed. "Just for you—Alfredo lasagna with sausage, eggplant, and shredded carrots, to help prevent full clogging of your arteries. Garlic bread," he nodded towards the stove, "on multi-grain rolls, with a sprinkle of aged peccorino cheese. And a green salad with oil and vinegar dressing."

Steph sighed contentedly. "Even semi-healthy, that sounds lovely." She sat down at the table, unfolding a linen napkin—how she had fought with Ranger over the purchase of those, until giving up all say over kitchen purchases—and waiting. Hope in her voice, she asked, "Any dessert?"

Ranger smiled and shook his head. "Sorry, just some plain vanilla yogurt and cut up fruit."

The smile was bright enough that Steph forgave his desert lapse.

Dinner was very nice; she and Ranger talked about a lot of things, carefully avoiding (at least on Ranger's part) talk of Ana. Steph had gotten a few more tidbits of personal information out of him, things she hadn't know before, like the fact that his great grandmother was still alive and well and living no more than a half-hour from the house—with his grandmother. Abuela Mejor was over a hundred.

Steph helped Ranger clean up and put away food, opening a second bottle of wine and refilling both their glasses in the process. Ranger continued to let information slip as they worked, filling in the mystery of his past to Steph a brush stroke at a time. Ranger had been arrested once, in junior high, for stealing a car; his mother had beat his ass so badly that he couldn't sit for a week. He also never got caught stealing a car again. Stephanie noted that he said he had never been caught again, not that he had never stolen another one.

Even Steph let a few things slip, not that she had been a proverbial closed book to begin with. But the story of attending Nativity elementary school as the younger sister of Saint Valerie, who had (until 8th grade and discovering boys) seriously wanted to become a nun helped Ranger understand Steph's stubborn resistance to accepted norms a bit better—even when acceptance wouldn't be that bad a thing.

The two were enjoying the conversation and wine so much that both were surprised when the kitchen was spanking clean, as it seemed to take no time. Not wanting to break things up, Ranger suggested they shoot pool in the basement rec room; Steph agreed, taking the wine bottle and glasses down, but sending Ranger to check on Ana first. She hoped that wasn't a mistake, and was relieved when Ranger was quickly back, announcing that Ana had fallen asleep.

"She looked like an angel, laying there in the moonlight." Ranger sighed. "I don't know what to do with her, I don't, but I love her so much, Steph, I want to figure it out."

Steph hugged him briefly, handing him his pool cue. "That's what has you so rattled. There is no training for this, and for once, you are not better prepared than anyone else." In her head, all Steph could add was, _what a sweet man_. "You could try talking to my Dad. After all, he survived me!" She smiled at him, leaning over to rack the balls.

Ranger sighed again. "I might. If he'll talk to me. I mean, I'm not Morelli. Your mother barely speaks to me when its necessary."

"Grandma Mazur loves you," Steph added with a laugh. "And my mother will go to her grave swearing that Joe Morelli and I belong together. Learn to ignore it—I have." And she had, at least recently. Steph knew that she was not meant to be with Morelli. She wasn't sure, yet, if she was meant to be with Ranger, but she was willing to give it a try, should the opportunity come up.

Ranger moved in to break. It was a clean crack and all the balls scattered somewhat symmetrically across the table. An orange stripe sunk into the side pocket, and Ranger searched out another shot. "When is your next dinner at your parents?"

An odd expression on her face, Steph narrowed her eyes. "Are you _requesting_ a visit to my family?" The laugh she let out made Ranger jump, losing his shot and accidentally sinking one of her solids.

"Maybe," Ranger answered a little petulantly.

"Tomorrow night it is," Steph smiled. "My mother called today, and I haven't called her back yet. Three more for dinner will make Mom ecstatic." Taking a shot, Steph missed and moved back.

"Keep your grandmom away from Ana. Ana doesn't need any help coming up with ideas to make me miserable this year." Ranger switched places, taking another shot. Three balls later, it gave up his spot to Steph. He distracted his clenched stomach's pondering of another Plum family dinner by taking in the wonderful view of Stephanie's full ass right in front of him. Her second shot was from the opposite side of the table, giving him an awesome view of her cleavage as she leaned to shoot.

His big fear of asking Steph to help him this year reared its ugly head, full force. How the hell was he going to survive a year with her living in his house but not in his bed? He realized that with Ana in the house, he didn't want to be obvious or casual about any relationship developments with Stephanie. But looking at Steph right now, it was hard to remember that. He couldn't keep himself from pulling Steph into a kiss and embrace as she tried to wiggle past him to take yet another shot. Her wiggles were entirely too close and enticing.

Stephanie returned the kiss enthusiastically enough for Ranger to feel it in his groin. Repeating the mantra, _Ana could wake up and walk in at any time_, he kept his affection less than Xrated, but it was an effort. When he placed Stephanie on the edge of the pool table, and stepped between her legs, it was impossible to avoid thinking about what she would look like, naked and splayed out against the felt top.

Ranger clamped down on his hormones and kept himself to kisses, though. And he was very glad that he had chosen to do so when he heard a loud and thorough throat clearing behind him not ten minutes later.


	15. Chapter 15

**Pen** **Name**: PTBvisiongrrl

**Story** **Title**: Ranger's Little Girl

**Summary**: ana come to live with Ranger in Trenton for a year, and she's not happy about it. Ranger hires Stephanie as her governess/body guard.

**Story** **Rating**: PG-13 (mostly just language)

**Status**: Work in Progress

**Genre**: Drama/Comedy

**Couple**: Stephanie and Ranger (eventually)

**Spoilers**: not really—AU (she's no Julie)

**Disclaimer**: I do not own these characters, but only gently use for my amusement.

Chapter Fifteen

Steph felt Ranger jerk with surprise before she heard Ana.

"You said weren't fucking him."

Stephanie felt her heart sink. Ranger was going to yell, Ana was going to go pre-adolescent, and she was right back to square one. She tensed, waiting for the explosion.

Ranger kissed Stephanie again, a gentle brush on the lips, before pulling away and turning to face his daughter. "You are rude and curse like a truck driver. I know your mother taught you better."

It was not the response Ana or Stephanie had expected. Ana frowned, trying to find an appropriate response and coming up mostly empty. "She lied to me."

Ranger headed off Steph's response, grasping her hand and squeezing. She could read the silent communication—_Let me handle this one, Babe. I can do it._ She just hoped he really could.

"It isn't an appropriate question from a twelve year old." Ranger moved to wrap an arm around Steph, leaning against the edge of the table.

"So she's your fuck-buddy, and that's why I hafta listen to her?" Steph could see the anger boiling over in Ana, and knew it was going to get ugly.

"You listen to her because I tell you to." Ranger kept his tone low and even; Steph gave him points. This was almost the emotionless Ranger she was used to. "Apologize to Stephanie."

The defiance washed over Ana's face. "I won't apologize for stating the truth, _Papi_."

Ranger's calm façade began to crack. Steph felt the first fissure in the deep breath he took before continuing. "Then go to your room and stay there until you are ready to do so."

Ana crossed her arms. Her eyes darkened and the resemblance to Ranger was quite prominent in the moment. "No."

Ranger swallowed his response and instead embraced Stephanie again. "Good night, Babe."

"Ah, Ranger-" Stephanie began, but Ranger cut her off with a raised eyebrow. "Okay," she ended lamely, sliding off the table onto her own two feet. "I'll, ah, be in my room."

Ranger nodded, watching Stephanie leave before turning back to Ana. "Mija, sit down. You and I are overdue for a chat."

Ana shook her head. "No."

Ranger took a step toward her. "That was not the right choice."

"It's my choice to make," Ana stated, her voice less sure. She was pretty sure Ranger wouldn't physical punish her, but she had never pushed him quite this far before, either.

"Stand while we do this, then. I don't really care." Ranger leaned back against the pool table. "You have issues with me, fine. Take them out on me, not Stephanie, not on the other people around you. I know you don't want to be here, but we often have to do things we don't want to do in life. Get over it." He added a plea that he hoped she could understand, the opportunity they had been given that he honestly never thought he'd have. "This year is what you make of it."

"Oh, poor Stephanie," Ana shot back. "If you don't want me to take it out on her, why don't you try to be a parent and take care of me yourself?" She actually looked shocked that she had said it out loud.

"I have never lied to you. I love you, Ana, but I don't have time to be a real parent to you like that," Ranger tried to make his regret over that apparent in his voice. "I have obligations that require my attention too much for me to be able to always be there for you. And don't pull out your warmonger bullshit. There are plenty of white collar, peaceable professions with the same time requirements, so you aren't special in that."

Ana's lip trembled slightly. "You could at least try."

Ranger hesitated, feeling the pull of heartstrings. It might be the heat of anger, but this was the most honest conversation that Ana had had with him since she was nine. For once, she wasn't censoring what she said OR just trying to piss him off. "I don't know how," he admitted. "That's why Stephanie is here."

"To do it for you," Ana sighed.

"To help me learn how," Ranger stated. "Your mother is a natural at this. I am not. I needed help, if you and I were going to survive this year. Stephanie was the only person I trusted to ask."

The pause let Ranger know that Ana was actually thinking over his words. "Why do you trust her so much?" Ana asked.

He could tell she really wanted an answer. Ranger wasn't sure he should answer that honestly, but he also knew that honesty is what Ana needed, if she was ever to come to terms with Stephanie being in charge. "She has never asked more of me than she was willing to give back. She has never said no when I've asked her for help. She is intelligent, honest, and trustworthy, to a fault."

Lips pursed, Ana considered his answer before responding. "Then why don't you marry her?"

Damn perceptiveness. Ranger routinely asked himself that question, and could only come up with one answer. "Stephanie deserves better than I can give her. Just like you do."

Shock took the defiant edge from Ana's face. Her father had admitted his failings as a father. She had never thought she'd see the day. How do you fight back to that? Even she wasn't one to kick a man who was already down. She turned her concentration back to the Stephanie situation. "You love her," she stated, confirming what she had read from the situation. "And yet you don't tell her."

Scrubbing at his face, suddenly more tired than angry at Ana, Ranger stood up. "Ana, let Stephanie do her job. I'm not saying be an angel—I know you aren't, you're my daughter—but cut her some slack. Okay?" Ranger searched Ana's eyes for agreement.

Loved, but with walls, restraint, Ranger controlling how much you could get behind his barriers. Ana suddenly had a lot more in common with Stephanie than she had thought. "I'll try," she nodded, standing in contemplation as Ranger brushed past her to head upstairs.

"Try to do it in your room at a decent hour. You have school tomorrow," Ranger called just before the basement door swung shut behind him.


End file.
